Elevator switch-operating and door-closing apparatus



Am; 22 ma a-w M31345 Q3. F. QUQCK ELEVATOR SWITCH OPERATING AND DOOR CLOSING APPARATUS Filed O 20. L922 4 Sheets-Shest 1 Ami? 22 1924c 1,4-91L245 (:1. F- QLHCK v ELEVATOR SWITCH OPERATING AND DOOR CLOSING APPARATUS il 20, 1922 4 Shets-$fieet 2 A ay 22, i924. 1,491,245

C. F. QUIGK ELEVATOR SWITCH OPERATING AND DOOR CLOSING APPARATUS Filed NOV- 20', L922 4 Sheets-$heet 5 A ril 22 19% 1,491,245.

(3. F. CQLHKZP ELEVATOR SWITCH OPERATING AND DOOR CLOSING APPARATUS F l d -'20; L922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 22, 1%24.

CHAR-LES r. QUICK,

hddlld or naLLas, 'rnxas.

nnnvaroa swircnornnarrne annnooaonosrne arraaaros.

application filed November 20, 1922. Serial l lo. 602,039.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. QUICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dal las, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator Switol10pcrating and Door-Closing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in elevator switch operating and door closing apparatuses.

The object of the invention is to provide an electric switch arranged to be opened to break the circuit when the door is opened in combination with means for automatically closing the door.

A further object is to arrange the parts so that upon the opening of the door, even an inch or so, the electric circuit will be broken, making it impossible to move the car irrespective of what floor or position the car is at.

A still further object is to provide an automatic door closing means acting conjunctively with the switch and arranged so that the operator must hold the door when the latter is opened; the door being closed when released by the operator and the switch being operated upon the closing of the door to close the circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latching device at each door including a check for cushioning the closing of the door and for fastening the door in its closed position. A particular feature of this de vice is a safety provision for latching the door if it is not entirely closed, thus preventing any person from opening the door when the car is not at the landing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a positive look at each door as well as a check arranged to cushion the door and to assist in completing the latching of the same.

Another object is to arrange everything in the shaft and to keep the car free from all parts of the invention.

One of .the features of the invention is a weighted arm for closing the doors together with a tension device for starting the closing movement.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a. front elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail of the latch,

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the check,

Fig. 4: is an enlarged front elevation of the switch operating means and the door starting means, a

Fig. 5 is a detail of the door closing arm,

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4:,

Fig. 7 is an endelevation of the same,

Fig. 8 is a plan view,

Fig. 9 is a detail of the tape hanger, and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a shaft showing the guider.

In th drawings the numeral 10 desig nates the lowermost door sill of an elevator shaft which may extend up past any number of floor landings, each of which has a door. A ceiling or other support 11 is provided at the top of the shaft. A'hanger 12 is secured to the sill 10 and depends therefrom, but may be supported in any suitable manner below the lowermost door. An eye bolt 13 is mounted in the lower end of the hanger and the lower end of a. steel tape or other flexible connection 14 is attached to said bolt. A sheave 15 with a guard is mounted in the hanger and the tape thru the same. As is shown in Fig. 10 a hanger 16 is hung from each door sill and carries a sheave 17 with a guard thru which the tape passes. The tape passes up thru the ceiling 11 and over a pulley 18 mounted in the pent house. The tape is connected to a turn-buckle 19 which is connected to the upper end of a vertical slide bar 20. By means of the turn-buckle all slack is taken out of the tape.

On the sill of each fioor door is mounted a bracket 21 to which the lower end of a door closing arm 22 is pivoted. The arm is bent at an angle and in its normal position has its upper portion slightly inclined above a horizontal line. The upper end of the arm has a guide wheel 23 mounted thereon. Each arm carries a sheave 24 provided with a guard and mounted on the upper inclined portion thereof adjacent the bend. The tape passes over the sheave. On each arm between the wheel 23 and sheave 24: is mounted a weight 25. Each wheel 23 travels in a vertical track 23 on the rear edge of the door 27. An overhanging stop 28 is mounted at the top of each track and is engaged by the wheel when the door is opened to its limit as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Normally the tape l i extends inavertical line up the sha'l but whenever a door is openedthe tape is displaced laterally by the raising of the arm 22 and the consequent rearward movement of the sheaveEZ l. T he slightest displacement of the tape causes a raising of the slide bar 20 and this in the manner hereinafter described operates the electric switch which cuts oil current from the car.

The slide bar 20 passes thru a pair of superposed horizontal guide arms 29 eX- tending from a pedestal 30 and forming part of a supporting standard. The pedestal is preferably, but not necessarily formed of channel iron which is firmly mounted on the ceiling ll. in me pent house or at any other convenient place. On top of the pedestal is mounted a table 30 supporting a switch 31 which is of the swingin door type, such as is shown in my Letters atent l lo. 1 406389 issued Feb. 14th, 1922, and comprises'a door 353, having contacts (not shown) inside the box for closing the circuit when the door is closed and breaking the circuit when the door is opened. The switch is suitably connected with the controller of the elevator car.

The door has a pair of hinged arms 33 connected by a coiled spring 33. A guide slot 35 is cut in the table substantially parallel to the lower front edge of the switch box and has its receiving end flared to more readily receive a. swin'ging arm 36 which carries a reduced finger 3? at its upper end. The arm is pivoted in the pedestal and when perpendicular has its linger standing between the arms 33. V-Jhen the arm 36 is swung its linger 37 engages one ofthe arms and swings open the door switch 32 thus breaking the electric circuit. A counter-balancing weight 34. is mounted on the door and adjusted so that when the door has been opened to a certain point the weight will over balance it and continue the opening and conversely said weight will assist in closing said door.

In order to swing the door the arm 36 must be actuated by the tape M. On a fulcrum bolt 38 mounted on the pedestal is mounted a pair of levers 39 and 40 re spectively. The levers are fulcrumed in- V termediate their ends and the lever 39 has 39 is swung to pull downward on the link il, the latter swings the arm 36 out vardly. The opposite end of the lever 39 has a slot 39 receiving a stud 42 on the slide 20 and receiving opposite ends of tile levers are connected by a comparatively small coiled spring ls which 18 constantly under tension and serves to exert an upward thrust on the ii? that the arm 36 is normally held and is free from lost motion to a slight swing of the levers. A larger coiled spring d5 is connected to the end of the lever 40 above the spring and has its upper end connected to the pedestal 30. When the parts are in their normal position, this large spring is not under tension.

It will be seen that whenever a door 27 is opened its arm 22 will be swung upwardly and rearwardly as is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. and the sheave 24 carried by said arm will displace the tape 1 rearwardly. When the tape is displaced t is pulled downwardly over the pulley 18, whereby the slide bar 20 is elevated and the levers 39 and 40 swung. The upward movement of the bar 20 is limited by astop 46 engaging the upper guide arm 29. The parts are so related and proportioned that a slight opening of the door, such as the distance of one inch. will move the tape sufiiciently to swing the arm far enough to cause the finger 37 to open the switch door and break the circuit. Thus if any door of the shaft is opened the circuit will be broken andthe car stopped. The car cannot be again started until the door is closed.

The door closing and switch controlling means would he of little value without some means for fastening the doors in their closed position. I ha e devised a sa' y latch and check which works very effectively in con junction with the closing means. On each door within the shaft l mount a vertical centrally pivoted latch lever 47 having a finger grip 48 on its lower end, said end havin a limited swinging movement in a keeper 49 (Fig. 2). A plunger 50 is mounted transversely on the upper portion of the door in brackets 51 and a compression spring 52 is coiled about the plunger between one of the brackets and a collar 53 adjustable thereon. The plunger projects beyond the opening edge of the door so as to enter a cushioning or checking cylinder 54 mount ed on the door frame 55. A piston 56 is mounted in the cylinder and between said piston and the closed end of the cylinder is disposed a coiled spring 57 (Fig. 3).

The piston receives the thrust of the plunger when the door isclosed. As the piston moves inwardly in the cylinder under the influence oi the plunger, the air is compressed and forms a cushion, the resistance of which increases gradually, so that the closing movement of the door is gradually slowed down. As the piston moves inwardly the spring 57 is compressed, so that when the plunger is Withdrawn incidental to the opening of the door, the spring will force the plunger outwardly in the cylinder. In order to govern the checking movement and also to admit air to the cylinder to relieve the suction created by the outward movement of the piston, a plug 58 is threaded in the rear of the cylinder. This plug has an angular passage 59 (Fig. 3) admitting air into the cylinder. By screwing the plug to the point where the passage is partially covered in the wall of the cylinder, the volume of air passing therethru is re duced. Various adjustments may be made.

The function of the latch lever 47 and plunger is to operate a latch (Fig. 2) which is pivoted to the upper edge of the door and has its free end normally overhanging a keeper bar 61. The keeper bar has a plurality of spaced upstanding teeth 62 arranged so that the nose of the latch will ride over the same and catch thereon. When the door 27 is fully closed the latch is in engagement with the innermost tooth. If it is not entirely closed the latch will catch on the intermediate tooth and if the door remains open an inch or two the latch will catch on the first tooth and the door cannot be further opened. The switch door 32 and the operating mechanism may be arranged so that the switch door will be open when the latch is in engagement with either the first or second tooth, or only when the latch is in engagement with the first tooth, the switch door being closed when the latch is in engagement with the second or third tooth. The movement of the car is thus controlled by the opening and closing of any door on the shaft to a predetermined degree.

The plunger has pivoted thereon the lower end of an upwardly inclined detent 63 which has its upper end engaging loosely in the latch and supporting the latter on a pin 64. In Fig. 2 the latch is raised and the spring 52 is under tension. When the lever 47 is released the plunger is moved away from the latch and the detent swung so as to lower the latch. It will be seen that any pressure exerted on the free end of the plunger 50, such as when it engages the piston 56, will move the plunger inwardly of the door and such movement will swing the detent 63 so that its upper end will swing down. thus swinging the latch down and thus the nose of the latch engaging over the third tooth will cause the door to com- With the initial movement of the door the wheel 23 starts up the track 26, whereby the arm 22 is swung downward. The downward movement of the arm displaces the tape 14 by means of the sheave 24. When the tape is displaced it is pulled over the pulley 13, whereby the slide bar 20 is raised.

The raising of the bar 20 swings the levers 39 and 40, whereby the arm 36 is swung outwardly and the spring 45 is placed under tension. 7 finger 37 engages the arm 33 which is in its path and swings open the switch door 32. The box 31 being atan angle it will be seen that after the door 32 is swun to a certain position, the weight 34 wi overbalance it and continue the opening movement of the switch door. The opening movement of the floor landing door 27, it being understood that this door is not on the car, is limited by the engagement of the wheel 23 in the stop 28.

The operator must hold the door 27 in its open position and therefore he does not release the finger grip 48 until he desires to close the door. leased the spring 45 exerts an upward pull on the lever 40 whereby its opposite end is swung downwardly. This moves the bar 20 downwardly and exerts a pull on the tape 14 which in turn pulls on the arm 22 and starts the same on its upward swing. The wheel 23 riding down the track 26 starts the closing of the door. After the arm 22 is put in motion its weight 25 causes sufiicient'inertia to close the door. v

When the levers 39 and 40 are swung the arm 36 is swung by the downward movement of the slide bar 20 upon the closing of the elevator door upwardly and the finger 37 engages the innermost arm 33 and swings the door switch 32 toward its closed position, which is completed by the weight 34. The arms 33 being hinged and connected by a. spring will permit the finger to swing past either one should it be displaced from between the same, thus gaining its normal position without injury to any of the parts.

When the elevator door 27 approaches its closed position the latch 60 is in position to engage and ride over the teeth 62; however the plunger 50 also projects from the door so as to engage the piston 56 before the door is fully closed, whereby it is checked. It will be seen that the door Then the arm 36 is swung the When said grip is rel Pit) is latched just as soon as the nose of the latch rides over the first tooth, but at this position the switch door 32 is not closed, so that the operator must complete closing movement it necessary, before he can start the car. The closing movement is accomplished in an easy manner and completed without undue noise and clatter.

Various changes in the size and location of the various parts and modifications are contemplated within the scope of the ap pended claims.

that I claim, is: a

1. lnan elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination with a sliding floor landing door, of a latch mounted on said door, swinging door closing element engaging the door, a normally taut flexible connection extending vertically in the elevator shaft and engaged by said closing element, a car switch device for controlling the electric operating circuit of the car, and means operated by the flexible connection for operating the switch.

2. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combin ion with sliding floor landing door. ot a latch mounted on the door, a swinging door closing device engaging the said door, a vertical operating member extending in the elevator shaft and engaged by said closing device, a car switch device for controlling the electric operating circuit of the car. and means connected with the vertical operating member for operating the switch device when the said floor landin door is opened or closed.

3. In an elevator floor-landing door closing apparatus, the combination with a floor landing door, of a latch on the door for fastening the same in its closed position, a check for cushioning the closing movement of the door, a weighted arm engaged with the door for closing the same, and an electric. switch device for controlling the operating circuit of the car, said switch device having operative connection with the door closing ar 4. In an elevator floor landing door clos ing apparatus. the combination with a floor landing door, of. a latch on the door for fastening the same in its closed position, a check for cushioning the closing movement of the door, a weighted arm having a wheel at one end riding on the edge of the door for closing the same, and means for prcventing operation of the elevator car when the door is open, said means being controlled by the car.

5. In an elevator floor landing door closing apparatus, the combination with a floor landing door, of a latch on the door for fastening the same in its closed position, a check for cushioning the closing movement of the door, a. weighted arm having a wheel at one end riding on the edge of the door for closing the same, and an electric switch for breaking the elevator car controlling circuit when the door is opened, said switch having operative connection with the door closing arr 6. In an elevator floor landing door closing apparatus, the combination Wit-h a floor landing door, of a latch carried by the door, a) fastening element on the elevator shaft engaged by the latch, a. spring pressed plunger carried by the door. and connected with the latch for operating the same, the fastening element having a plurality of posi tions for engagement by the latch for looking the door in its fully closed or in partially open positions, means for closing the door, and an electric car controlling switch having operative connect-ion with the door closing means arranged to break the'circuit when the latch is in engagement with the open positions and the door is partially open. I

7. In an elevator floor landing door closing apparatus, the combination with a floor landing (l0O1,'O-f a latch carried by the door, a fastening element on the elevator shaft engaged by the latch, a spring pressed plunger carried by the door and connected with the latch for operating the same, the fastening element having a plurality of positions for engagement-by the latch for loci:- ing the door in its fully closed 0 partially open position, means for closing the door, a cushion-device engaged by the plunger for checking the closing movement of the door, and an electric car controlling switch havoperative connect-ion with the door closing means arranged to break the circuit when the latch is in engagement with the open positions and. the door is partially open.

8. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an ele vator shaft of aplurality of floor landing doors, a common operating member extending vertically in said shaft, each door having a fastening latch. a swinging door closing device at each door engaging with the common operating member, said member being arranged to be displaced by any of the door closing devices when the door con nected with the latter is opened, and an electric controlling switch for the elevator car having operative connection with the common operating member and operated to break the controlling circuit of the car when said member is displaced.

9. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an Plevator shaft of a plurality of floor landing" doors, a common operating member extending vertically in the shaft, each door having a fastening latch, a swinging door closing device at each door, a car controlling switch arranged to break the electric car operating circuit, and means for connecting the door eena a5 closing devices in common with said switch, whereby said switch is operated to break said circuit when any door is opened.

10. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an elevator shaft of a plurality of floor landing doors, a common operating member normally under tension and mounted in the shaft, a swinging door closing device engaged with the door at each landing and employing its own inertia'to close the door, each door having a fastening latch, each door closing device having engagement with the common operating member when the door of the latter is opened, whereby said member is displaced, an operating medium, and an electric car controlling switch operated by the medium, said medium being connected with the operating member for operation when the latter is displaced.

11. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an elevator shaft of a plurality of floor landing doors, a flexible connection normally under tension and mounted in the shaft, a swinging door closing device engaged with the door at each landing and employing its own inertia to close the door, each door having a fastening latch, each door closing device having engagement with the flexible connection when the door of the latter is opened, whereby said flexible connection is displaced, an operating medium, and an electric car controlling switch operated by the medium, said medium being connected with the operating member for operation when the latter is displaced.

12. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of floor-landing doors and means for closing each door, of a common operating member arranged to be actuated by the closing means of any door, a slide bar, a lever pivoted to said slide bar, said slide bar having connection with the operating member, a swinging arm operated by the lever, a spring placed under tension by movement of the slide bar for returning the parts to normal position, and an electric elevator car switch having a movable circuit closing element having a portion in the path of the swinging arm for operation thereby.

13. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an elevator shaft of a plurality of floor landing doors, a flexible common operating member extending vertically in the shaft, a door closin member at each floor landing arrange to engage the operating member when the door is opened and to close the door when released, a switch operating element connected with the operating member and operated when the common operating member is operated by the door closing member, and an electric elevator car switch having a movable circuit closing element operated by the said switch operating element.

14. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination with a sliding floor landing door, of a latch for fastening said door in its closed position, a closing arm pivoted in the shaft and having a wheel at its upper end engaging the rear edge of the door, a weight mounted on said arm for closing the door, a flexible operating member normally under tension, means on said arm for engaging said member when the arm is swung for displacing said operating member, an electric car controlling switch, and a switch operating device connected with the operating member and including a spring for imparting an initial closing movement to the door arm when the door is to be closed.

15. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an elevator shaft of a plurality of floor landing doors, a latch on each door, a tape extending from below the first door to above the top door, a guide at each floor thru which the tape passes, a door closing arm pivoted at each floor landing having engagement with the door thereat, a sheave on each arm around which the tape passes, a slide bar, one end of the tape being attached to the slide bar and the other end being held against movement, said tape being normally taut, and an electric car controlling switch operated by said slide bar.

16. In an elevator apparatus of the character described, the combination in an elevator shaft of a plurality of floor landing doors, a latch on each door, a tape extending from below the first door to above the top door, a guide at each floor thru which the tape passes, a door closing arm pivoted at each floor landing having engagement with the door thereat, a sheave on each arm around which the tape passes, a slide bar, one end of the tape being attached to the slide bar and the, other end being held against movement, said tape being normally taut, a support, an electric car controlling switch mounted on the support, an actuating arm for the switch mounted on the support, and an operating connection between the slide bar and the actuating arm.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES F. QUICK. 

